Tampa Cruise Ship Worker Injury Lawyer

The job of a cruise ship worker is hazardous, demanding, and exhausting, especially in Florida where the cruise industry contributes almost $8 billion to the state’s economy every year. Whether you work out of Tampa, Cape Canaveral, or other ports, the risk of injury is high. Multiple factors make your workplace dangerous, and your life is significantly disrupted if you are hurt. You may incur hefty medical bills and could be prevented from working, temporarily or permanently. Though you do have rights to recover for these and other losses, your claim is very different from a typical Florida workers’ compensation claim.

Federal Laws Regarding Compensation for Cruise Ship Workers

Most people working for Florida employers are covered by the state’s workers’ compensation laws if they are injured on the job, but cruise ship workers occupy a unique position. Due to the exceptional conditions of the workplace environment, those who work at sea are protected by a federal program that is similar to workers’ comp.

If you are hurt in a cruise ship accident, you may be eligible for the protections offered by the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, familiarly known as the Jones Act. Eligible employees, including cruise ship staff, seamen, and other maritime workers, can recover compensation for a wide range of losses. For example, you may be entitled to monetary benefits for:

The current and future costs of treating your injuries;

Lost income if you are temporarily unable to work;

Future earning capacity, if you are limited or cannot ever return to work as a cruise ship employee;

Vocational support for job retraining; and,

Other damages.

Note that as a cruise ship employee, you may be able to recover for an additional type of losses that other people cannot obtain under workers’ compensation laws: Pain and suffering, emotional anguish, scarring, loss of consortium, and other non-economic damages are available for qualifying workers under the Jones Act.

Cruise Ship Injuries Can be Life-Threatening or Fatal

Whether you are docked or performing work-related tasks at sea, the conditions of the maritime environment are inherently dangerous. Weather, slippery surfaces, unsecure railings, cargo, threats from other employees present a high risk of injuries to cruise ship workers. Some of the more common types of injuries staff may suffer include:

Drowning;

Falls;

Electrocution and burns;

Injury due to defective equipment and faulty machinery;

Broken bones, sprains, strains, and other types of musculoskeletal trauma;

Our skilled Jones Act lawyers at Barbas Nuñez Sanders Butler & Hovsepian provide dedicated legal support in connection with Florida cruise ship worker injuries. We offer a free consultation, so please contact our Tampa, FL office today to set up an appointment with an attorney. You can reach us by calling 813-279-2686 or visiting us online.

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